Cable entry system

ABSTRACT

A cable entry system includes a length of a grooved pipe adapted for extending through a bore in a wall. A further length of pipe is able to be connected to a rear portion of a socket on an inner side of the wall, with a cap having an aperture through which a cable is able to pass. An additional length of pipe is adapted to be closed by the cap on an outer side of the wall. The cap may be provided with an external circumferential tooth for snapping into a groove of the grooved pipe. In an alternative embodiment, the aperture in the cap is formed by an axially extending slot, which extends through the inner end of the cap, so that the cap may be fitted after installation of the cable. In an additional embodiment, the outer end of the pipe is secured by a C-shaped clip, which engages one of the grooves of the pipe, with the cap being annular and having a central opening defining the axially-facing aperture, and with an inwardly directed circumferential rib of the annular cap adapted for engaging a groove in the C-shaped clip.

This invention concerns a cable entry system for leading a cable througha wall into the back of a socket such as a telephone socket or TV aerialsocket for example.

Generally such sockets are surface mounted and the cables are ledthereto through a bore in the wall which is “made-good” on the outersurface with mastic or similar material. This is unsightly and generallyinconvenient.

According to the present invention, there is provided a cable entrysystem comprising a length of pipe which is adapted to extend through abore in a wall and to be connected to the rear of a socket on the insideof the wall and to be closed by a cap on the outside of the wall, saidcap having an aperture therein through which a cable may pass.

The pipe may be of the kind having axially spaced circumferential ribsseparated by grooves on both its inner and outer surfaces.

The socket may be mounted substantially flush with the wall surface andhave a circular port in its rear provided with an internalcircumferential tooth whereby the pipe may connected with the socket bya snap action, the tooth locating in one of said circumferentialgrooves.

The outer end of the pipe may be secured by a C-shaped clip whichengages one of said circumferential grooves.

The aperture may be radially facing.

The cap may have an external circumferential tooth adapted to snap intoone of the internal grooves of the pipe.

The aperture in the cap may be formed by an axially extending slot whichextends through the inner end of the cap, whereby the cap may be fittedafter installation of the cable.

An annular cover plate may be provided to fit over the C-shaped clip.

The aperture may be axially facing.

The cap may be annular and have a central opening defining saidaperture.

The cap may have an inwardly directed circumferential rib adapted toengage a circumferential groove in the C-shaped clip.

The invention will be further apparent from the following descriptionwith reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawing whichshow, by way of example only, two forms of cable entry system embodyingsame.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a first system;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows an exploded cross-section through a second system; and

FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the system of FIG. 4.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1-3, it will be seen that a telephone socket10 is mounted substantially flush with the surface of a wall W. Thecasing of the socket 10 has a rearwardly directed tubular portion whichprovides a cable entry port 11. The port 11 has an internalcircumferential tooth 12.

A length of pipe 14 of the kind having axially spaced circumferentialribs separated by grooves on both its inner and outer surfaces extendsthrough a bore B in the wall W.

The pipe is connected with the rear of the socket 10 by pushing theparts together, the tooth 12 engaging one of the grooves on the outersurface of the pipe with a snap action.

The outer end of the pipe 14 is secured by a C-shaped clip 15 which canbe snapped onto the pipe to be located in one of the circumferentialgrooves on the outside of the pipe.

An annular cover plate 16 is fitted over the clip 15 to present a neatand tidy appearance.

A domed cap 17 having an outwardly directed circumferential tooth 18 ispushed into the outer end of the pipe 14 to close same, the tooth 18locating in one of the internal circumferential grooves of the pipe 14with a snap action.

A slot 20 extends from the inner end of the cap 17 axially to a positionadjacent the domed end of the cap to provide a radially facing aperturethrough which a cable C may extend. Since the slot 20 opens through theinner end of the cap, the cap may be fitted after installation of thecable.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 it will be seen that on the second systemthe clip 15 is replaced by one 40 having a circumferential groove 41 onits outer periphery and the parts 16 and 17 by a cap 42 having aninwardly directed circumferential rib 43 adapted to engage the groove 41with a snap action. The cap 42 has a central opening 44 defining anaxially facing aperture through which a cable may be passed.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention tothe above examples only, many variations, such as might readily occur toone skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scopethereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cable entry system, comprising: a length of agrooved pipe adapted for extending through a bore in a wall; a furtherlength of pipe connectable to a rear portion of a socket on an innerside of the wall; a cap having an aperture through which a cable is ableto pass, said cap having an external circumferential tooth for snappinginto a groove of said length of said grooved pipe; and, an additionallength of pipe being closable by said cap on an outer side of the wall.2. The cable entry system according to claim 1, wherein said pipe hasaxially spaced circumferential ribs separated by grooves on both itsinner surface and its outer surface.
 3. The cable entry system accordingto claim 1, wherein said additional length of pipe at the outer side ofthe wall is secured by a C-shaped clip which engages a groove of saidlength of said grooved pipe.
 4. The cable entry system according toclaim 3, further comprising an annular cover plate fitted over saidC-shaped clip.
 5. The cable entry system according to claim 1, whereinsaid aperture is radially facing.
 6. The cable entry system according toclaim 1, wherein said cap is annular and has a central opening definingsaid aperture.
 7. A cable entry system, comprising: a length of agrooved pipe adapted for extending through a bore in a wall; a furtherlength of pipe connectable to a rear portion of a socket on an innerside of the wall; a cap having an aperture through which a cable is ableto pass, said aperture in said cap being formed by an axially extendingslot extending through an inner end of said cap, so that said cap isable to be fitted after installation of the cable; and, an additionallength of pipe being closable by said cap on an outer side of the wall.8. The cable entry system according to claim 7, wherein said pipe hasaxially spaced circumferential ribs separated by grooves on both itsinner surface and its outer surface.
 9. The cable entry system accordingto claim 7, wherein said additional length of pipe at the outer side ofthe wall is secured by a C-shaped clip which engages a groove of saidlength of said grooved pipe.
 10. The cable entry system according toclaim 7, further comprising an annular cover plate fitted over saidC-shaped clip.
 11. A cable entry system, comprising: a length of agrooved pipe adapted for extending through a bore in a wall; a furtherlength of pipe connectable to a rear portion of a socket on an innerside of the wall; an annular cap having a central opening defining anaxially-facing aperture through which a cable is able to pass, saidannular cap further including an inwardly directed circumferential rib;and, an additional length of pipe being closable by said annular cap onan outer side of the wall, said additional length of pipe being securedby a C-shaped clip which engages a groove of said length of said groovedpipe, said inwardly directed circumferential rib of said annular capbeing engagable in a groove of said C-shaped clip.
 12. The cable entrysystem according to claim 11, wherein said pipe has axially spacedcircumferential ribs separated by grooves on both its inner surface andits outer surface.
 13. The cable entry system according to claim 11,further comprising an annular cover plate fitted over said C-shapedclip.